Innocent Elbow Leads To Defensive Questions

By: Dave Martinez | August 21st, 2008

It was bad enough that I found Gabriel Cichero’s elbow as innocent as a babies coo, but even the league thinks it was bad – bad enough, actually, to suspend our new stud centerback for not one, but two league games.

To quote a legendary duck,”Ah Phooey!” How that elbow deserves two games is beyond me. Perhaps the league is reprimanding Cichero so harshly due to Dichios health history? Who knows. I am grasping for answers to that one.

To make matters a tad worse? Andrew Boyens, who filled in admirabley in an injured Jeff Parke’s shoes this weekend, will be honored with a possible cap with the New Zealand MNT. Obviously, he will be out of action. Notch another blow to the backline.

Top it off with the up in the air status of Jeff Parke, and one has to wonder who will be starting for the Bulls in the back 3 (or 4). When in doubt, go to the safe bet in Mr. Versatility, Seth Stammler. Considering Mendes recent good play, a combination of Pietravallo and Mendes would be capable of handling starting duties. In this worst case scenario, stick Stammler between Goldthwaite and Leitch, with the aforementioned CDM duo. Theoretically, they would be sound one game tactics for an important game. Regardless, with the potential losses to our backline, one would be hesitant to bet on the home team. Thankfully, a bit of depth in the CDM department can help patch up the teams holes (yes, I said depth!).

Will the ridiculous loss of Cichero on the red and the MNT duties of Boyens be enough to sink this surging squad? Share your thoughts.

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nolayuprule

but the shirt! the shirt!!!!

Its photographic evidence - indisputable!!!
Dave Martinez

Sorry NLR - here we are:

Deportivo Italia is a Vinotinto team founded by Italians. i dont think that Cichero is Italian in any way. Sure, the name - but there are tons of argies with that issue as well. Hope that answers something. =)
nolayuprule

"a Venezuelan football defender who is currently on loan to Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer from Deportivo Italia of the Venezuelan First Division. "

that only confuses me more.
Hes not Italian but has a possibily Italian name and heritage and played for Deportivo Italia of all teams in a very non-Italian country.

Had he been an argie all questions could be assumed answered.

ahh well, contemplated mysteries are good to stave off dementia and alzheimers.
nolayuprule

by the way, why is Cichero wearing an Italia shirt? Hes mexican, isnt he? Or is he a brother under the tomato as well? Did he play in Italy?

do I have access to google and wikipedia to answer these questions myself? yes, I do
Dave Martinez

The winner of our UEFA Tourney won a signed maurice edu gameball. Cool stuff.

And I must be the third to say - I love Howard. What a leader. Lando, who obviously can not handle the carbonite process, needs to have the same ego and energy for every team that he brings to mexico.
nolayuprule

true dat! all these US players getting time in European clubs is gonna do wonders for us on the international stage
BMatthews

True that. Nolayup if Howard lets in a goal...that game was over and the crowd would have gone crazy.
Also I love Edu as well and the post on WCB earlier this week about him was great. To quote "If he can wear a Rangers shirt to Celtic Park, he sure as hell will be able to [perform under pressure] in the World Cup"
nolayuprule

Oh, BMatthews I totally agree with your points.

I should have been more clear. After the card and the foul that followed it they focused, toughened up and motivated to persevere. However midfield possession was terrible and scoring opportunities were few and far between.

I didnt see the first half but the first half of the second half {what?} was terrifying for the US and only Howard's leadership and strength as a keeper stopped a loss.
nolayuprule

Lando hasnt been the same since he sold Han to the empire. I think seeing his friend in carbonite really did a number on him.

As far as his performance I was not that impressed. In fact with the exception of Beasley and Onyewu at times {set plays}I wasnt all that impressed with offense. Donovan needs to get more aggressive, though his free kicks are still sweet.

I was most impressed by Howard, Edu {who I love}, Bocanegra and the dude with the Italian name who I cant remember. Oh, and Ching was nice too. And I like coach Bradley so far.

Did eddie Johnson play?

Oh, and I found a few nice quote since we are on the subject;

Howard - "Going into this we tried to talk as a team about that this is what qualifying is all about. I think today was a blueprint of qualifying. You can talk about it, but when you experience it is a real challenge and tonight we came through on the winning end.”

hes emerging as such a leader. We need Donovan to do the same.
BMatthews

Yeah Landycakes didn't really do anything of note in the second half.
But I second NLR's love of Tim Howard (my current favorite member of the MNT...I was happy when my Blackburn Rovers beat his Everton squad though). He has played out of his shoes.
Though I disagree with NLR saying the team looked strong competitive and motivated. I thought they looked like they weren't at all ready for this game, they couldn't control the ball and possession was a huge issue. They were fired up after the Lewis elbow but before that they were flat and stunned but the GUA fans
Dave Martinez

NLR - what did you think of Lando? He seems lost out there on the wing - come the World Cup, he and Adu are going to have quite the battle to see who mans the center of our attack.
Dave Martinez

Mike - I stand corrected. I guess I should have checked the internet before I took someones word for it lol.

And seriously - the Freeman situation sucks. But he isnt the type of defender Osorio is looking for (doesnt fit the 3-5-2). In the end, this will be better for him as a player.

As Matt said - DC and Houston are coming, hardly easy pickins. With the depth at CDM, I hope we can whether the storm.
nolayuprule

I didnt see the elbow but Im sure it didnt warrant a 2 game suspension plus the red.

Are the RBs joining every other NY team in being hated and vilified by their respective leagues?

as far as that Guatemala game goes - wow!!!

That was one of the most exciting matches Ive ever seen. I just turned to it at the start of 2nd half to check in. I had no idea we would be under such impressive and sustained pressure and that Guatemala would be such incredibly dirty fuckers!

Ive been incredibly impressed with Howard recently especially after that USA/Argentina game where he was just an incredible force.

But the entire team looked strong, competitive and motivated ... even though our lft wing was open all night.

Im really happy to be able to get behind the USA team with more than a hopeless optimism but actual fandom!
BMatthews

This is a horrible time for a depleted back line, with the reigning champs coming to town and then @ effing DC (who have been playing well lately). I think this means that we may have seen the end of the 4-5-1 because we don't have 4 solid defenders, we're going to have to score to win these games. 3-5-2!
mike.

No jokes about Hunter Freeman! :~(

Official site says that Boyens actually leaves on the 2nd, but they're being vague about whether or not he'll be available for play between now and then (I would assume he would be). Not that I think it matters all that much, as I still think he's rather useless (though, I admit, less useless than he was a few weeks ago).
Dave Martinez

September? Wow. I was told this week? Strange.

Another option I didnt think of was Diego Jimenez - our 12 thousand dollar man! He can also be inserted into the lineup to see what he can do.

And Hunter Freeman! Oh wait . . .
mike.

1) I thought Boyens wasn't leaving until the beginning of September?

2) Just adding my voice to the chorus singing that Cichero's elbow didn't even warrant ONE suspension, let alone TWO. (also, "Cichero's Elbow" sounds like a band name, or a sea shanty)

3) the thing about lining up cars and playing by headlights was EXACTLY what I thought while watching the end of the match v. Guatemala last night.
BMatthews

Kudos for BlackMouth...I think I laugh each time I hear is name.
Dave Martinez

I think lighting just made its way to Guatemala judging by that stadium. Matt - I can totally relate. I actually get more visibility playing hockey on the roof parking lot of the local Stop and Shop.

TOdor, I never expected Guatemala to be THAT dirty. But they looked like the Mexicans when they are down to the US - angry and incoherent. Tough game all together. Thank god for BlackMouths header.
TOdor

Yes the US looked pretty sorry agains GUA. My first soccer coach was Guatemalan and had played for there national team so I have been a supporter but after watching the dirty play last night I will have to rethink that.
BMatthews

triple also: that WAS a dark stadium. It looked like when my friends and I used to line up our cars and turn on the lights to play a little night soccer.
BMatthews

NO! That team played great, this team couldn't trap the ball to save their souls. Cuba is next, and allegedly they're better than Guatemala, I hope that Bob Bradley gets this team together.

Speaking of Bradley:
1- Why is Micheal Bradley getting capped every game? Am I missing something
2- Did anybody else think he looked like a coke addict
after a 3day binge? He looked pale and weak

Also: I hate that my comp has a shitty battery because I really wanted to participate in the Worldcupblog live blog (reading it now) but I can't because my laptop only has juice for 10 minutes.

double also: Kenny Cooper?
Dave Martinez

No I didnt take it that way either. I just made the correlation is all. Imagine that kind of a performance against a top 30, as you said. It was poor. The midfield looked POOR. That was not the team I saw play Argentina.
BMatthews

It was painful to watch, they didn't have possession all game! Don't get me wrong, taking 3 points is always huge but come on! if you play like that against another top 30 team (US currently ranked 31 in the world) you're going to get your asses handed to you, home or away.

I wasn't saying that the Lewis/Dicico elbows were similar, but I figured we could get a little MNT talk going this morning because we've got two days till the Dynamo come to town.
Dave Martinez

THAT was red card worthy. A CLEAR difference in elbows for sure.

Guatemala played so damn dirty too. They really just HATE the US with a passion, and the minute they are down, I am sure each of them thought "Oh no, not again." Dirty bastards. Finally, I have the hate everyone else does for Carlos Ruiz. One game is all it took.

But it still doesnt excuse the MNT for playing like crap. That was a horrid display.
BMatthews

They've been on a tear lately and I hate to see anything kill this momementum.
But did anybody else see the elbow that Eddie Lewis took to the FACE last night. That Guatemalan side played diiiiiirrrty, and not in the Christina Agulera in the chaps "fun-dirrty".